Oct. 5, 2016
COLUMBIA, S.C. – No. 4 South Carolina women’s soccer (11-0-1, 5-0-0 SEC) looks to remain unbeaten and stay perfect in SEC play when it faces Mississippi State (6-6-0, 1-4-0 SEC) on the road on Thu., Oct. 6. Kickoff from MSU Soccer Field is slated for 8 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast on SEC Network+, available though WatchESPN. A win over the Bulldogs would give the Gamecocks a program-record 12-staight victories.
FROM THE COACH
“We’ve managed to stay composed and driven, and our goal is to continue that as long as we can. We need to be ready each time we step on the field. We’ve done a good job if limiting teams to a few opportunities, and that’s what we have to do again. Mississippi State has capitalized on the opportunities it has been given all year, and we have to be ready.” — South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
The Bulldogs moved past Alabama 1-0 at home last Friday (Sept. 30) in their only match of the week. The victory marked their first win in conference play and improved their overall record to 6-6-0 on the year. Mississippi State, which is 1-4-0 in the SEC, has split its six home matches in 2016, picking up victories over the Crimson Tide, UT Martin (Aug. 28) and Louisiana Lafayette (Sept. 11). The Bulldogs fell to No. 17 Virginia Tech (Aug. 21) and No. 25 Arkansas (Sept. 9) in their two matches against ranked opponents this season.
Four Mississippi State players have tallied multiple goals on the year, including junior forward Mallory Eubanks, who leads the team with seven points on two goals and three assists. Fellow forward McKenzie Adams ranks second on the team with two assists, while freshman midfielder Johanna Hamblett has registered a team-leading two game-winners. Junior goalkeeper Tanya de Souza has started 11 of 12 matches in net for the Bulldogs, who rank 10th in the SEC in goals against average (1.45). Mississippi State’s 16 goals this year are tied for 12th in the league, and the Bulldogs rank 13th among conference members in points (42) and assists (10).
South Carolina is unbeaten in its last eight matches against Mississippi State, and it boasts an overall mark of 9-4-3 in the series. The Gamecocks, who defeated the Bulldogs 1-0 in Starkville in 2013, are 2-2-2 in road matches against Mississippi State.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gamecocks matched their longest winning streak ever after picking up a dramatic 1-0 victory on the road over Texas A&M last Thursday (Sept. 29). Junior Savannah McCaskill provided the game-winner in the 87th minute, beating the Aggie goalkeeper one-on-one in the box on the counter attacker. The goal was set up by a great long ball from junior midfielder Lindsey Lane, and the scoring play marked the league-leading 11th goal for McCaskill. The Gamecocks outshot the Aggies 10-3 for the match, and freshman goalkeeper Mikayla Krzeczowski notched two saves to earn her fifth shutout of the year.
HISTORICAL HEIGHTS
South Carolina earned its highest NSCAA ranking in program history on Tuesday, grabbing the No. 4 spot in the coaches’ poll. The Gamecocks were listed in the top five in back-to-back weeks for the first time ever, and they have been ranked in the top 10 since Sept. 20. Carolina has also boasted the program’s top NCAA RPI ranking this season, checking in at No. 4 in each of the last two weeks, and the Gamecocks are currently ranked in the top 10 by Soccer America (No. 5) and TopDrawerSoccer.com (No. 10).
2016 CLEAN SHEET
The Gamecocks, who sport the top winning percentage (.958) among Division I schools, are one of three teams still unbeaten on the year. Joining South Carolina in the undefeated ranks are No. 1 Stanford and Bucknell. The Gamecocks went unbeaten (6-0-1) in non-conference play for the first time since 2013, and their 11-0-1 record marks their best start since 2009, when they won their first 11 matches and began the season 13-0-1.
STREAKING TOWARDS HISTORY
In addition to equaling the program’s longest winning streak, South Carolina is also nearing the top unbeaten streak in school history. At 11-0-1, the Gamecocks are two wins or draws away from the program’s 14-game unbeaten streak that was set in 2009 following the team’s 13-0-1 start to the season.
ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION
The Gamecocks have trailed for just 85 seconds this season, falling behind 1-0 against UCF (Aug. 28) following a penalty kick. South Carolina has headed into halftime with the lead in eight games, and seven of its victories have come by at least two goals. The Gamecocks have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a match seven times in 2016.
DRENNAN CLOSING IN ON PROGRAM ASSIST RECORD
With an assist against Georgia, senior midfielder Chelsea Drennan moved one away from the program record of 33. The Anderson, S.C., native, who ranks third on the team with three assists this season, has led the Gamecocks in the statistical category in each of her first three years. Two of her three assists in 2016 have come at Stone Stadium.
COMING UP CLUTCH
With her late goal against the Aggies last week, forward Savannah McCaskill matched the program record for the most game-winners (6) in a season. Three of her game-winning goals in 2016 have come in SEC play, and the junior’s eight career game-winners are the most among current Gamecocks.
DEFENSIVE-MINDED
South Carolina heads into Thursday’s match against the Bulldogs with one of the hottest defenses in the country. The Gamecocks, who rank sixth in Division I in goals against average (0.41), have recorded a shutout in six of its last seven games. Carolina has allowed just one goal in league play, and its shutout percentage (.583) tops all conference members and stands as the 22nd-best mark nationally. The Gamecocks have held opponents to three or fewer shots on goal in all but one match this season.
IN A LEAGUE OF HER OWN
Forward Savannah McCaskill, who has registered at least one point in nine of South Carolina’s 12 matches this season, leads the SEC in every offensive category – goals (11), points (28), and game-winners (6). Her six game-winners and 5.42 shots per game are the second-best marks in Division I, and she also ranks in the top three nationally in goals and points. The Chapin, S.C., native’s 11 goals in 2016 are the most ever in a season for her, and she stands three away from the program’s single-season record. Her 28 points this fall are one short of her career high and six away from the most by a Gamecock in one season.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
Savannah McCaskill enters this week’s match against the Bulldogs ranked in the top 10 on four lists in South Carolina’s record book. The forward sits in the top five in points (3rd, 72) goals (4th, 26) and assists (4th, 20), and she is sixth with eight career game-winners.
Senior midfielder Chelsea Drennan, who is one assist away from the program record, stands three away from South Carolina’s game-winning assists record (12) with nine for her career. Her first career game-winner against LSU on Sept. 22 moved the team captain into a tie for seventh on the program’s all-time scoring list with 52 points. Fellow senior Sophie Groff is seventh in school history with seven career game-winning goals, and she ranks ninth with 18 goals.
UP NEXT
South Carolina hosts No. 11 Arkansas (12-1-0, 5-0-0 SEC) at Stone Stadium on Sunday in a battle of the top-two teams in the SEC. The match is set to get underway at 2 p.m. ET, and it can be seen on SEC Network+, available through WatchESPN.
